Week 6 Run 2. The last short run..

[PaulWojcik]

So last short run of the programme tonight...have to say am apprehensive about was is coming...run 3 is 25 mins straight through and then weeks 7,8 & 9 are all long runs...am particularly nervous as Week 4 Run 3 (20 mins) I completed but to an observer I’m pretty sure the last 5 mins would have looked pretty ‘ragged’! And my last run Week 6 run 1 whilst completed I found a struggle after the previous 20 run...will the programme get me through this???

[PMcL1966 Graduate]

Run slow then slow down some more and trust the program. You can definitely do it.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

Paul, the program works - trust it. It's a 9 week program, designed to get from the couch to 30 minutes of continuous running (JOGGING!), 3 times in Week 9.

Now, thinking about you'd design your own program to do the same, work backwards from 3x 30 minutes in Week 9 and see what would make suitable progressions from week to week. Remember that Week 1 should be really easy!

Remember my Mantra #1: every run you do prepares you for the next one, i.e., your body is READY, it's just that your mind hasn't been convinced. C25K is a mental test, not a physical one - it's designed to be achievable by almost anyone. The key lies in your head.

Weeks 1, 2, 3 are foundation weeks - nice and gentle.

Weeks, 4, 5, 6 - are what I call the bridge weeks - bridging between walk/run and simply 'run'.

Weeks 7, 8, 9 - are the home straight.

Once you got the 20 minute W5R3 out of the way, there's nothing else that should faze you - that was the big one psychologically.

Just go nice and slow and you'll be fine - conversational pace remember!

For reassurance: healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[PaulWojcik in reply to John_W]

Thanks for those words of encouragement ! Much appreciated - bizarrely I had a fail on week Week 6 run 2 on Sunday so repeated last night and it was easy - have no idea why so tomorrow night is 25 mins - based on Sunday's run I would say impossible based on last nights I am actually looking forward to it!